Bare Act
The Gas Companies Act, 1863
Corporate186328 sections
The Gas Companies Act, 1863, is a colonial-era legislation primarily designed to regulate the operations of gas supply companies, specifically the Bombay Gas Company Limited. It grants these companies the legal authority to break up public streets, bridges, and drains to lay down gas pipes, provided they follow strict procedures regarding notice and public safety. The Act also establishes clear rules for the protection of company infrastructure, penalties for the fraudulent use of gas or damage to equipment, and liabilities for environmental hazards like water contamination. Essentially, it balances the company's operational needs with public safety and municipal oversight.
- 1. Power to break up streets, etc., under superintendence, and to open drains
- 2. Not to enter on private land without consent
- 3. Notice to be served on persons having control, etc., before breaking up streets or opening drains
- 4. Streets or drains not to be broken up except under superintendence of persons having control of same
- 5. Streets broken up to be reinstated without delay
- 6. Penalty for opening or breaking up street without notice, etc. delay in reinstating streets, etc. neglect to fence and light, etc
- 7. In case of delay, persons concerned may cause the work to be reinstated and recover expenses
- 8. Power to enter buildings for ascertaining quantity of gas consumed. Penalty for hindering
- 9. Recovery of rents due for gas.
- 10. Power to remove pipes when supply of gas discontinued.
- 11. Meters, etc., not liable to distraint for rent
- 12. Penalty for fraudulently using gas
- 13. Penalty for wilfully damaging pipe
- 14. Satisfaction for accidentally damaging pipe
- 15. Penalty for causing water to be corrupted. Daily penalty during continuance of offence
- 16. Daily penalty during escape of gas after notice
- 17. Penalty if water be fouled by gas
- 18. Power to examine gas pipes to ascertain cause of water being fouled
- 19. Expenses by whom to be borne
- 20. Expenses how ascertained
- 21. Liability to indictment for nuisance
- 22. Copies of memorandum and articles of association and of regulations, etc., to be kept for inspection at office of Company in Bombay, in Secretariat and office of Registrar of Joint Stock Companies. Copy to be evidence
- 23. Service of process on Company
- 24. Recovery of penalties, etc
- 25. Levy by distress
- 26. No distress unlawful for want of form, etc
- 27. Power to extend Act to other places and Companies
- 28. Interpretation
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